58 LLOYD'S NATURAL HISTORY 



and Perth, in the counties north of the Firths of Forth and 

 Clyde. Now, however, according to Messrs. Harvie-Brown 

 and Buckley, its range seems to be extending somewhat, pro- 

 bably owing to artificial introduction ; but it is quite unknown 

 in the Isles that is to say, at least, as an indigenous animal. 

 In Sutherland and Caithness it is, according to the testimony 

 of the same writers, " still unknown in the west, and, so far as 

 known to us, in all other parts of the counties. Though pet 

 specimens have been introduced, and have escaped, there is 

 no evidence that they have established themselves in a wild 

 state." In Ireland, Thompson says that the Hedge-hog is found 

 everywhere in suitable localities. 



Habits. Like nearly all the members of the Order to which 

 it belongs, a purely nocturnal animal, the Hedge-hog, or Urchin, 

 as it is termed in many parts of England, reposes during the 

 day in some snug and safe retreat, generally situated beneath 

 the roots of some old tree or stub, in a hedge-bank, thicket, or 

 a crevice in a rock or wall. During the winter the Hedge-hog 

 passes its time in a state of complete torpor, apparently never 

 awakening, and therefore requiring no store of food, which in 

 the case of an animal subsisting on insects and other creatures 

 it would be impossible to accumulate. Although insects com- 

 pose a considerable portion of its diet, the Hedge-hog by no 

 means subsists entirely on them, nor, indeed, on invertebrates 

 generally, since almost all animals that it is able to kill, appear 

 to be equally acceptable as food. As Mr. Harting remarks, while 

 the animal under consideration exhibits a partiality for slugs, 

 snails, worms, and beetles, it has been ascertained that it like- 

 wise consumes eggs, chickens, young landrails and game-birds, 

 mice, young rabbits and hares, frogs and snakes, not even 

 the noxious viper being safe from its attack. With regard to 

 their depredations on young game-birds a recent writer in 

 Land and Water states that a few years ago he lifted some 



